Thursday, August 25, 2005

Mr Cunningham is said to have reassured enthusiasts, yet there were apparently no “reassured enthusiasts” interviewed. Nor was there any comment from representative bodies such as The Sportsman’s Association or Save Airsoft. Yet you included a statement from Gill Marshall-Andrews of the Gun Control Network.

Mrs Marshall-Andrews tells us that “no-one needs a realistic imitation gun”. So what? There are many things people have that they do not “need” and a great deal of them are more dangerous than an imitation gun incapable of harming someone unless you were to hit them with it.

This ban is just another example of government punishing law abiding people for the actions of a criminal element of society. It is already an offence to use an imitation firearm to cause fear.

I expect the ban will be just as succesful as the handgun ban in 1997 which was closely followed by an explosion in gun crime.

When will the Government realise that it must tackle criminals not ownership of objects?

A 12-year-old boy was charged Tuesday with assault and felony menacing for allegedly hurting another child at a skate park in Parker. Police confiscated a bat and an Airsoft pellet gun but it's the pellet guns that have officers particularly concerned.

Police say that the pellet guns are becoming so realistic that officers may not be able to tell the difference during a confrontation.

Aurora police have confiscated at least 10 of the fake look-alike weapons in the last year. CSU police in Fort Collins are also dealing with the problem.

The pellet or paintball guns with an obvious orange tip are easy to spot as fake but sometimes, the guns have been altered and the orange tip is painted or marked black, police.

Other guns look identical to a real Glock 22, .40-caliber weapon. They have similar company logos and both use a clip-style ammo magazine.

"We don't have time to ask, 'Is that a real gun?' It's just dangerous. It's not a good idea to have replicas of guns that are so realistic," said Rudy Herrera of the Aurora Police Department.

Police say they may only get a look at the barrel before they have to react with the real thing.

"There's no way for an officer to be able to tell the difference through the mechanics of the way the weapon works. There's not enough time ... These were intended to be identical replicas," Herrera said.

Police want to get the word out -- if you point one of these toy guns at an officer, you could be very sorry.

"If I deem that there's a threat, I'm going to take action just as though it's real. And, unfortunately, we'd have to figure out whether or not it's a real gun after the fact. And that's not right," said Aurora police Officer Marcus Dudley.

Police say that pointing a realistic weapon at anyone could result in an arrest for felony menacing. Officers say there's also a national trend among gang members who paint the end of a real gun bright orange, just to confuse people. That's why police say they won't hesitate.

"We will not hesitate. We have families too. We want to go home to our families every day," Herrera said.

Copyright 2005 by TheDenverChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

A new action game in Battle Lake has players arming themselves with small weaponry and preparing for war.

Located upstairs in the old Battle Lake Hatchery, War House is an airsoft gun arena where participants shoot each other with air guns.

Players have a base on either side of the room, and spread across the court, between bases, there are places for the shooters to crouch and hide.

Airsoft game play is similar to paintball but played indoors with no mess. The guns shoot pellets, and War House provides guns, ammo and safety glasses at a cost of $5 per hour.

They have battery-powered machine guns, semi-automatic Carbon Dioxide-powered gas guns and air spring guns. The gas guns may only be used by students 12 years and older.

War House owner Don Magnuson, an inventor and sporting goods manufacturer from Battle Lake, said he got the idea to open up an air gun arena when he and his teenage son became interested in the activity.

Magnuson said his main clientele are kids between 10 and 16 years old. He opened War House in May for kids to use after school and keeps it open for summer recreation on Friday and Saturdays from 3 to 8 p.m.

He said there have not been any major accidents involving the war games.

"The most important thing is that they keep the safety glasses on," he said.

Magnuson said different games at War House are full court war, half court war, Texas Draw and shoot the can. To expand business in the future, Magnuson said he hopes to open a new building off Highway 210.

The current arena can be rented for birthday parties or any occasion for $40 for 3 hours.

Monday, August 22, 2005

WORKINGTON MP Tony Cunningham has backed the Government’s new violent crime bill, which will add anything that looks like a real firearm to the current ban on guns.

But Mr Cunningham has assured enthusiasts it will not affect hobbies like paintballing and airsoft – a more realistic form of the popular team sport.

He says the real impact of the legislation will be to encourage more involvement in community-based crime prevention initiatives. The much-praised Workington Pubwatch Scheme was flagged up by Mr Cunningham as a good example.

He said it would toughen up on guns, but not stop people having controlled fun.

“Anything that looks like a real firearm will no longer be legally sold, imported or manufactured,” he explained. “Paintballers and airsoft gunners can carry on with instruments that don’t look like real firearms.

“This does not interfere with the aim of the legislation to stop children and young people treating guns as toys, learning about the power the gun gives them and graduating to more dangerous weapons.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Relatives of people killed or injured by acts of gun crime clashed with sporting enthusiasts yesterday over the government's plans to restrict the manufacture and sale of imitation and replica firearms.Members of the Gun Control Network (GCN), many of whom have personal experience of tragedies caused by the use of illegal weapons, hit out at an international campaign being run by devotees of paintball and the similar but more militaristic airsoft shooting events.

Airsoft guns are plastic and fire 6mm or 8mm pellets. They originated in Japan in the 1980s and are said to be more accurate and to offer greater range than their paintball equivalents. There are thought to be 10,000 regular airsoft players and 70 sites around the UK which host events or "skirmishes".The airsoft shooters say the government's violent crime reduction bill will effectively kill their hobby because the low-velocity guns, which fire plastic pellets, would be classified as "realistic imitation firearms". Equipment now held would be unaffected but the sport would be unable to obtain new equipment.

Airsoft shooters have begun a campaign to pressure MPs and promote their sport, bolstered by support from enthusiasts in the US, Canada and Japan.

But anti-gun protesters argue that the shooters should be willing to switch to less lifelike weapons in the cause of public safety. They point out that a significant proportion of gun crimes committed in Britain involve imitation and replica weapons.

Steve Walker of GCN said: "We don't want to stop them enjoying their sport.The problem is the weapons they use. If they were brightly coloured and distinguishable from real guns there would be no problem."

Mr Walker, whose sons Alex, 17, and Andrew, 26, were murdered in 2001 by a paranoid psychotic with a reactivated weapon, said emotions are running high.

"We have got abusive emails from the airsoft shooters, paintballers and people who support the owning of firearms for self defence. But our position is clear. If it looks like a gun it should not be allowed."

Gill Marshall-Andrews, GCN's chair, said: "No one needs a realistic imitation gun - except perhaps a re-enactment society. Paintball and airsoft guns do not have to look like the real thing. A green plastic gun would not be affected by the new legislation. If it's not lethal and does not look like a real firearm then there is no problem."

But Frank Bothamley, who runs Free Fire Zone, an airsoft event site in Cambridgeshire, said enthusiasts felt "persecuted". He added: "We are an easy target. We are a minority group. I think this is a tip of the iceberg thing. If they ban this will it be rifles, shotguns and other things.

"The government wants to stop 15- and 16-year-old's from being on the streets with airsoft guns which they buy from street traders for between £5 and £30. People also carry them as accessories because they look a bit flash. But people who do this as a proper hobby have guns which cost £100 to £600. They look after them."

He said manufacturers aimed to make the guns look real and would be unlikely to stop doing so just for a British market worth less than £10m. "People around the world want guns that look like real guns."

Parts of the US dictate that the guns should have orange bands around the ends to distinguish them from real firearms. "That would be the sensible thing to do," Mr Bothamley said. "The argument is that people would take the band off but if they did and they were caught they should be prosecuted. It is worth remembering that no one has ever been killed with an airsoft gun."

The pastime is straightforward - participants in military clothes hunt and shoot each other. But for the purposes of this debate it has taken on philosophical overtones. Enthusiasts quote Lord Salisbury and his call for a land where "people are allowed, so long as they do not hurt their neighbours, to do as they like".

However, detractors say they must address the practical issues on the street. Figures released this year show decreases in the number of offences involving shotguns, handguns and rifles but increases in those in which imitation guns, deactiviated guns and blank firing weapons were used. Offences involving stun guns and paintball guns also increased.

Mr Walker, 62, a former Bedfordshire police officer, remains haunted by the shooting of his sons. "We just want to get guns off the street," he said. "The frightening thing is how many there are."

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Airsoft, a growing popularityamongst firearm and role playing enthusiasts, is gaining more attention intoday’s market. Airsoft is a close relative of the BB gun, but uses a muchlarger plastic pellet than your typical BB’s that are 6mm in circumference. With Airsoft, thereis minimal result of serious injury during a simulation or training activity,with the advantage of handling a lifelike non lethal replica of a firearm.

The sport of Airsoft was not recognized in North America and Europe until somewhere in the mid 90s, but originated from Japan in the early 1980s when it was illegal to own firearms. However, the Japanese had a great interest in firearms and created spring powered replicas. During this time, the sport became quite popular in neighboring countries such Hong Kong, Korea, Philippines,and Taiwan.

The sport allows safe training or simulations for those who enjoy role playing either as an undercover assassin or whatever their fantasies may be. There are many forums and organization, such as SoCal Airsoft, that people join for a friendly competition, or otherwise known as “skirmishing” their opponents. In addition, Airsoft allow many to collect or own a realistic replica of their dream gun, whether it may be the Glock orthe Beretta. These replica firearms are so realistic that it’s beginning to gain popularityin the movie industry and has appeared as props in movies like The Terminator and LaraCroft: Tomb Raider.

One of the largest Airsoft retailers in the nationis Airsplat.com. Here, you can help yourself to the largest Airsoft inventory. Whether you’re looking for a spring (best for beginners), gas, or electric gun, AirSplat.com can help you find what you need to fulfill that dream of being in combat or just assassinating your friends for fun. You can check them out at www.airsplat.com or email them at info@airsplat.com

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

The Albany city attorney has decided to dismiss five of six disorderly-conduct charges issued after Albany police responded to self-defense training exercises that had been mistaken for an armed disturbance.

"I'm going to dismiss the charges against the students," City Attorney Jim Delapoer said Monday afternoon.

The self-defense instructor who was teaching the class, Christopher Lund of Jefferson, still faces a disorderly conduct charge.

Scott Turner, owner of Turner Taekwondo Inc., said Monday afternoon he was pleased with the decision to drop the charges against the students but still was concerned about the remaining charge against his instructor.

Six citations were issued July 29 after the five students, ages 17 to 45, and their instructor were seen practicing self-defense against someone with an airsoft gun in an alley behind Karate for Kids, 1711 Hill St. S.E.

At least one person driving past on Queen Avenue saw what appeared to be an armed disturbance and called 911.

Police responded with guns drawn. All the individuals were handcuffed on the ground and each one was given a citation for disorderly conduct.

Delapoer said after reviewing the case, he decided to dismiss the charges against the students because they "do not have the same level of culpability" as the instructor.

The charge of disorderly conduct will remain for the instructor, but Delapoer said he is willing to discuss a possible settlement or plea agreement.

"I feel very good for the five citizens, but I'm not feeling very comfortable about them wanting to pursue anything with my assistant instructor," said Turner.

He is hoping an agreement can be reached for Lund, whom he described is a "great person."

Lund said this morning that he has received some legal counsel and is hoping the charge will be dropped.

During the 12 years that Turner's Taekwondo Inc. has been in Albany, instructors have held training exercises outdoors. Lund wonders why now, all of a sudden, it's an issue.

Lund said people at the nearby car wash had been watching the class practice that evening and had no concerns until police arrived.

The situation created that evening was a dangerous one, Delapoer said in an interview.

Even though the students were using airsoft guns, if one of them had pointed it at police and an officer had shot a student, the shooting would have been justified, Delapoer said.

Also, if someone passing by with a concealed weapons permit thought a gun was being pointed at them, it's possible that person could have shot the student without violating the law, Delapoer said.

He has spoken with Turner and requested three things if the outdoor training continues: to prominently display signs where the class is being held. to paint the airsoft guns red, which traditionally signifies a training weapon. And three, to notify police 48 hours before the outdoor training will be held.

"Those three things we can comply with," said Turner, who is planning to continue again with outdoor training.

Grand Rapids- They look so real, there are times even police cannot tell the difference.

Toy guns, known as Airsoft pellet guns, are causing such a problem in Kent County police are calling on parents and teens to leave them at home. Police want to get the word out about the problem before someone dies.

Last October a SWAT team surrounded East Kentwood High, as students and faculty were led out by armed police. The school was on lockdown because a 911 caller saw a man enter the school with a gun.

A few months later teens chasing each other playing cops and robbers on a West Michigan street scared a woman, who called police. The kids were confronted as if they were criminals.

In both of those situations, and numerous others, police have come close to shooting people who had nothing more dangerous than a toy pellet gun.

But because the firearms, known as Airsoft guns, look so real they are a real threat. Just ask officer Timothy Hoornstra."I was pulling the trigger on my weapon thinking he was going to kill me and I was going to shoot him," Hoornstra said.

He was a millisecond away from shooting a 19 year old man on a Grand Rapids street, he says, after responding to a call about a drug house. When he got there, a man had an Airsoft pistol in his waistband. He pulled it out to show that it was a toy, and officer Hoornstra saw the orange marking on it. But it was close.

"I was pulling the trigger, with our guns we have to pull a certain distance and I was halfway," says Officer Hoornstra.

Police agencies from all over Kent County made a plea Tuesday, for people to avoid bringing the toy guns in public. They also want youto keep all of the orange safety markings on the toys - which are often removed or painted.

Officers showed a dozen samples to prove how real the Airsoft guns look, and even put WZZM13 News reporter Keith Baldi through a training session to demonstrate how tough it is to tell the difference.

Keith felt threatened enough to fire his weapon, even though the person confronting him had a fake.

"We don't want these guns out in public, we don't want them mistaken as real guns," said Grand Rapids Lt. Pete McWatters.

Over the past year and a half, Grand Rapids Police say they've confiscated 56 toy guns.

And if the owner was brandishing it, they've charged them with a misdemeanor.

All of this, and it doesn't account for how dangerous the guns can be.A girl in West Michigan recently lost an eye after being shot by an Airsoft pellet.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Super Brain 819 for RC (radio control, remote control) cars... designed as a plug 'n play, AC/DC battery charger, the 819 is perfect for 6-7 cell NiCd packs. Both the charger and your model's battery will remain cooler during the charging process.

Super Brain 959 with LCD... for radio control (remote control, RC) planes, cars, helicopters and boat models as well as transmitter and receiver batteries... the 959 features AC/DC versatility and handles NiCD and NiMh, 1-8 cell AA to C packs. Select the current (0.5A to 4.5A) and Delta Peak voltage threshold then monitor battery and charger status on the LCD.

Super Brain 969 Pro... AC/DC Delta Peak charger with discharge capability. For radio control, (remote control, RC) planes, cars, helicopters and boats as well as transmitter and receiver batteries. With discharge function and dual outputs it can charge two batteries (of the same or different voltages) simultaneously. Or charge one while discharging another.Each output can deliver 4.5 amps. Charges NiCd, NiMh, Lithium and Lead acid batteries, and 1-8 cells of any capacity.

Saturday, August 06, 2005

A family vacation for Scott Turner, owner of Turner's Taekwondo Inc., came to a quick end when he received a call from one of his instructors saying his students, practicing gun self-defense, had just been handcuffed and held on the ground at gunpoint by Albany police.

"I thought they were joking," Turner said Thursday. But he soon realized there was truth to the story.

The students were detained briefly at the scene but then released with citations for disorderly conduct.

Turner, who says he has respect for the police department and understands why officers responded the way they did, doesn't understand why citations were issued.

According to an Albany police report, the department received one call from a driver on Queen Avenue reporting an armed disturbance at about 7 p.m. July 29, near the Four Seasons Car Wash, 1070 Queen Ave. S.E.

Police Capt. Ben Atchley said Friday the department may have received other calls as well.

What people saw, Turner said, was five students and an instructor participating in a martial arts exercise in an alley behind Karate For Kids, 1711 Hill St. S.E.

The students were practicing Krav Maga, a martial art that teaches, among other tactics, how to defend against someone approaching with a gun or knife, Turner explained.

The students, ages 17 to 45, were practicing with air soft guns, which were marked to signify they were unloaded or being used for practice, Turner said.

"Officers arrived on scene and observed people who appeared to have weapons in the back alley," Atchley said Friday.

The officers thought they had a possible robbery or gang activity, according to the police report.

The students and instructor were all ordered on the ground at gunpoint and handcuffed, according to the report.

Turner said that a 5-year-old girl, the daughter of one of the students, was patted down by police.

The report made no mention of that but did note that a child was found behind a Dumpster.

Five airsoft guns were seized by police, according to the report.

The officers learned that the activity was part of the Krav Maga class, but the supervising officer decided to issue a citation to all six people for disorderly conduct.

The citations were given because the activity, which could be seen from Queen Avenue S.E., "raised public alarm," Atchley said.

The department also used a tremendous amount of resources to respond to the activity, Atchley said.

If there was a major event occurring elsewhere in the city, Atchley said, the question is whether police would have been able to respond with only half the department available.

"By doing what they did, they diminished our ability to respond somewhere else," he said.

Turner understands why the police responded the way they did.

"Albany police did exactly what I would have expected them to do," Turner said. "I fully understand."

What Turner, and others in the class, don't understand is the citations.

Turner said his students are professionals in the community. "They are really good people. I have a lot of respect for them," he said.

When asked why all the students received citations and not just the instructor, Atchley said he wasn't there and that the decision was made by the supervising officer.

"I feel so bad for my students," Turner said. "If anyone has to get in trouble I would want it to be myself or the school."

He and the others in the class said they are hopeful the charges will be dismissed once they appear in Albany Municipal Court.

A conviction of disorderly conduct carries a maximum fine of $2,500 and maximum jail time of six months.

Turner has operated his martial arts business in Albany for 12 years.

During all that time, students have practiced tactics outside, Turner said.

The alley, with graffiti and wire fencing, gives students a different environment from the matted floors inside.

The irony, Turner pointed out, is that his students have probably never been in an alley at any other time in their lives.

Turner said officers have driven by at other times, and watched them or asked what was going on, but no one had ever been issued a citation or even been told to go inside.

Now several of his students have canceled their membership, Turner said. "I can't blame them."

He noted that one of the students originally came to his school because of its good reputation.

A call to the police department or signs in the alley stating that training was in session could have prevented the whole episode, Atchley said.

"There was no indication to us this was a training exercise."

Turner said he has not spoken with anyone at the police department since the incident.

And while martial arts classes continue as usual, outdoor exercises will be held inside until the incident is resolved, he said

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Monday, August 01, 2005

First thing when I got this thing home was play around with it see how its feels its painted in a matte black and its pretty solid, one of the first things I noticed was that there are no real steel markings, instead "OPS-M.R.P. CAL.45" under that was a serial number probley the same on every Hi-CAPA, so I was like w/e if it works it works. After getting over the no trades thing I saw that the textured grips are molded right into the lower frame which was a big disappointment, hopfully Sheriff or others will come out with a full metal lower frame and slide. The Hi-Capa is marked with "OPS M.R.P." or "M.R.P." one several places on the gun which means nothing to me so w/e.

Lock n' Load time! One round fired and blamo somethings wrong. After taking a look I saw that the slide was stuck open with the loading muzzle jamming up the place, I pushed the muzzle back and did a little ASC search and the O-Ring seems to be the culprit. After tinkering with the O-ring I got it to fired nicely and did it! I can empty a whole 31 round clip in approximently 5 seconds. The kick wasn't that strong for such a gun, my KSC USP Compact seems to have a harder kick then the Hi-Capa and its smaller too.

The rail is completly optional for those that want to keep the Hi-Capa's lines smooth. The nice Bomar sights are fully adjustable but I see no purpose of fiddling with it so I left it alone. Metal parts are abundent in the Hi-Capa (from top to bottom) Front & Rear sights, Slide catch, Hammer, Slide Guide, Thumb ress, Safety, Trigger, Internals and Magazine.

All and all I love this gun I recommend it to anyone not wanting to buy a WA for several hundrad more.

Cons:- O-ring slipage- Mag release somewhat sensitive- Slide has to be remove to adjust hop-up- Grips are molded right into the lower frame- Mag release is also somewhat big- No real steel trade markings- Tapping of the lower frame is needed to mount rail- Hammer doesn't go all the way down causing friction on the side so its harder to cycle.